• A rectangular vintage Spitz Emperors beer label with a navy blue background, yellow circular medallions, white and blue lettering, and a white dog portrait on the right.
  • A vintage Spitz Emperors crate label. The label features a deep blue background with a gold border, a yellow anchor logo on the left with the text 'Blue Anchor' and 'California Fruit Exchange,' large white 'SPITZ' lettering, and a circular portrait of a white Spitz dog on the right.
  • A vintage Spitz Emperors fruit brand crate label. The label features a dark blue field with large white 'SPITZ' lettering, a yellow circular emblem with an anchor and the words 'Blue Anchor Fruit Exchange,' a portrait of a white dog on the right, and 'Emperors' in a light blue box near the bottom.
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Traung Label and Lithography Co.

Crate Label: Spitz Brand Emperor Grapes, Pre-1936 Traung Label & Litho, Hahn & Livingston, CA

Crate Label: Spitz Brand Emperor Grapes, Pre-1936 Traung Label & Litho, Hahn & Livingston, CA

$20.00
$20.00
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Add a touch of authentic, museum-grade history to your collection or decor with this incredibly rare, pristine piece of California agricultural art.  Unlike the common 1940s and 1950s warehouse reproductions and later-run labels found online, this specific Spitz Brand Emperor Grapes label is a guaranteed first-generation print dating between 1923 and 1935. A cheerful white Spitz dog looks out from a golden circle beside the California Fruit Exchange's Blue Anchor emblem — a literal, tail-wagging bit of branding for this Emperor grape label.

  • Brand: Spitz
  • Produce: Emperor Grapes
  • Packing House / Grower: Hahn & Livingston
  • Materials: Lithographed paper, printed by Traung Label Co., San Francisco
  • Dimensions: 13 x 4 in
  • Origin: Exeter, California, USA
  • Era:  1923 - 1935
  • Condition: Excellent, New Old Stock — never applied to a crate.  Age-appropriate yellowing on the reverse only.  We have two available in very similar condition. Please review photos closely before purchasing, as all sales are final.

Traung Label and Lithography Co. was founded in San Francisco, CA as Pingree Traung Company in 1911, the firm was renamed Traung Label and Lithography in 1916. It operated under that name until 1936 when the name was changed to Stecher-Traung.

Why This Label is Highly Collectible:

The Traung Litho Mark: This specimen features the rare, pre-merger “Traung Label Co.” imprint. In 1936, Traung merged to become Stecher-Traung. Because this label bears the original Traung name, it is a certified pre-1936 historical artifact (90+ years old).

The Blue Anchor Logo: Features the iconic Blue Anchor trademark of the California Fruit Exchange, officially registered in 1923 to designate premium-grade fruit.

Condition: Excellent New Old Stock. This label is in absolutely flawless, investment-grade condition. It has never been used, pasted to wood, or exposed to moisture. There are zero tears, zero folded corners, and no fading. The colors are as vibrant today as they were the day they were pulled off the stone lithograph press in San Francisco.

Shipped flat in a heavy-duty, rigid cardboard mailer to ensure it arrives in its pristine condition. We never roll or fold our labels.

 The smiling Spitz dog is a rare example of a crate label brand illustrated with pure literalism, rather than metaphor or wordplay.  A charming find for dog lovers and vintage produce collectors alike.

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